1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,520 - From USS constitution, 2 00:00:02,520 --> 00:00:04,940 I am command master chief, Hanceville Despo, 3 00:00:04,940 --> 00:00:07,910 command master chief of USS constitution, 4 00:00:07,910 --> 00:00:12,910 Old Ironsides, 33 on hold, perfect record, Ship of State. 5 00:00:13,790 --> 00:00:16,593 Every year, for approximately 10 days, 6 00:00:17,450 --> 00:00:21,480 300 or more chief selects, come on board the ship 7 00:00:21,480 --> 00:00:25,809 with their mentors to receive a history lesson 8 00:00:25,809 --> 00:00:29,130 and a heritage lesson about our Navy. 9 00:00:29,130 --> 00:00:31,750 They also receive leadership mentorship 10 00:00:31,750 --> 00:00:34,550 from leaders all around the world. 11 00:00:34,550 --> 00:00:39,550 My experience during Heritage Weeks, was a great one. 12 00:00:39,750 --> 00:00:43,090 In 2009, when I made Chief Petty Officer, 13 00:00:43,090 --> 00:00:48,090 I got the opportunity to come here, live here, train here 14 00:00:48,640 --> 00:00:53,243 and see what an 1800 sailor, does every day. 15 00:00:54,964 --> 00:00:57,220 It gave me a different perspective. 16 00:00:57,220 --> 00:01:02,220 It gave me perspective of success, heart, commitment, 17 00:01:02,350 --> 00:01:05,263 and that's what we do here, every year, 18 00:01:06,100 --> 00:01:07,820 during Heritage Weeks. 19 00:01:07,820 --> 00:01:11,070 Here with me today, we have our commanding officer, 20 00:01:11,070 --> 00:01:14,420 Commander John Bender, 76th in command 21 00:01:14,420 --> 00:01:17,330 and he will tell you his experiences 22 00:01:17,330 --> 00:01:20,550 as a commanding officer during Heritage Weeks. 23 00:01:20,550 --> 00:01:22,710 - Thank you, master chief Ville Despo 24 00:01:22,710 --> 00:01:24,770 and good morning, good evening, good afternoon 25 00:01:24,770 --> 00:01:26,150 to the Chief's Mess that are they're tuning in today, 26 00:01:26,150 --> 00:01:28,150 wherever you are across the world, 27 00:01:28,150 --> 00:01:29,583 I am commander John Bender, 28 00:01:29,583 --> 00:01:33,810 the 76th commanding officer of USS Constitution, 29 00:01:33,810 --> 00:01:36,510 more affectionately known as Old Ironsides, 30 00:01:36,510 --> 00:01:39,050 the oldest, finest commission war ship, 31 00:01:39,050 --> 00:01:42,570 afloat in the worlds, it is an absolute pleasure 32 00:01:42,570 --> 00:01:45,310 to be talking to the Chief's Mess at large, 33 00:01:45,310 --> 00:01:49,210 across the fleet, at this most awesome time of year, 34 00:01:49,210 --> 00:01:52,550 chief petty officer initiation season, 35 00:01:52,550 --> 00:01:55,680 albeit a few months later than normal. 36 00:01:55,680 --> 00:01:57,780 First off, I'd like to congratulate 37 00:01:57,780 --> 00:02:01,170 all of the Navy's newest chief petty officers selects, 38 00:02:01,170 --> 00:02:03,210 for your awesome achievement, 39 00:02:03,210 --> 00:02:06,490 congratulations to you and all the hard work and effort 40 00:02:06,490 --> 00:02:09,650 and years that you've put in to achieve this rank. 41 00:02:09,650 --> 00:02:12,420 Congratulations and thank you to your family members 42 00:02:12,420 --> 00:02:14,580 who have sacrificed right alongside with you. 43 00:02:14,580 --> 00:02:17,450 Congratulations to all of your respective commands 44 00:02:17,450 --> 00:02:20,250 for everything you're doing out in the fleet, right now, 45 00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:26,050 2020 has been an interesting year and strange year 46 00:02:26,050 --> 00:02:28,210 to say the least and no less so for 47 00:02:28,210 --> 00:02:30,003 USS Constitution Command. 48 00:02:31,370 --> 00:02:34,590 Our mission is to preserve, protect, and promote 49 00:02:34,590 --> 00:02:36,940 the legacy of this beautiful ship 50 00:02:36,940 --> 00:02:39,080 that I am standing in front of right now, 51 00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:43,760 223 years old this October. 52 00:02:43,760 --> 00:02:46,650 In a normal year, we would accomplish that mission 53 00:02:46,650 --> 00:02:48,370 through a couple of different things; 54 00:02:48,370 --> 00:02:50,590 through general visitation, opening our decks 55 00:02:50,590 --> 00:02:53,503 to anyone that comes into the city of Boston as a tourist. 56 00:02:54,680 --> 00:02:59,680 We would see upwards of 600,000 general visitors in a year. 57 00:02:59,820 --> 00:03:01,960 And we did so in 2019. 58 00:03:01,960 --> 00:03:06,210 We also do travel to Navy weeks across the country. 59 00:03:06,210 --> 00:03:08,620 We do special events out in the community of Boston. 60 00:03:08,620 --> 00:03:11,600 We do retirements, commissionings, celebrations, 61 00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:14,563 onboard our ships for our active duty and our veterans. 62 00:03:15,480 --> 00:03:18,760 Unfortunately, we were unable to accomplish our mission 63 00:03:18,760 --> 00:03:20,760 that way, in this year. 64 00:03:20,760 --> 00:03:24,870 I took command in February 29th and two weeks later, 65 00:03:24,870 --> 00:03:26,370 this thing called COVID hit 66 00:03:26,370 --> 00:03:27,890 and we shut down our decks for good. 67 00:03:27,890 --> 00:03:29,680 We weren't able to open for a couple months here 68 00:03:29,680 --> 00:03:31,520 in the summer, but right now we're back 69 00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:35,200 to accomplishing our mission in the virtual world. 70 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:37,100 I'm really proud of the way that this crew 71 00:03:37,100 --> 00:03:38,930 has responded to this crisis. 72 00:03:38,930 --> 00:03:40,460 We could have easily rolled over. 73 00:03:40,460 --> 00:03:43,090 We could have easily said 2020s not our year, 74 00:03:43,090 --> 00:03:44,380 and probably not accomplished much. 75 00:03:44,380 --> 00:03:46,460 And people would have understood. 76 00:03:46,460 --> 00:03:48,500 But this crew and this Chief's Mess that I have, 77 00:03:48,500 --> 00:03:49,780 would not have it. 78 00:03:49,780 --> 00:03:51,050 They're a resilient group, 79 00:03:51,050 --> 00:03:53,130 they take the fact that they represent the spirit 80 00:03:53,130 --> 00:03:56,300 of a constitution sailor, that fought on these decks 81 00:03:56,300 --> 00:03:59,930 in the War of 1812, and over 33 Naval engagements, 82 00:03:59,930 --> 00:04:02,100 extremely seriously and there's no way that 83 00:04:02,100 --> 00:04:03,050 we're gonna to do that. 84 00:04:03,050 --> 00:04:04,880 So, I'm really proud of the way we overcame 85 00:04:04,880 --> 00:04:07,430 this COVID environment, like going virtual, 86 00:04:07,430 --> 00:04:10,700 conducting 150 virtual tours 87 00:04:10,700 --> 00:04:13,930 and getting close to over 4 million 88 00:04:13,930 --> 00:04:15,800 virtual visitors in 2020, 89 00:04:15,800 --> 00:04:18,665 something that I am extremely proud of. 90 00:04:18,665 --> 00:04:21,450 And one of the things that I'm most disappointed of 91 00:04:21,450 --> 00:04:23,890 in 2020 because of this COVID environment, 92 00:04:23,890 --> 00:04:26,040 was the fact that we did not take the ship underway 93 00:04:26,040 --> 00:04:27,540 at all this year, 94 00:04:27,540 --> 00:04:30,200 But even more so, we did not conduct 95 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:33,470 the CNO's chief petty officer Heritage Week's event 96 00:04:33,470 --> 00:04:35,640 this year because of travel restrictions. 97 00:04:35,640 --> 00:04:38,040 It's extremely disappointing because I had the privilege 98 00:04:38,040 --> 00:04:41,730 of being the ship's executive officer for two years, 99 00:04:41,730 --> 00:04:44,180 and I saw how incredible an event this is, 100 00:04:44,180 --> 00:04:47,830 not just for my crew, but for me personally 101 00:04:47,830 --> 00:04:49,890 and for all of the chief selects to come 102 00:04:49,890 --> 00:04:51,360 and visit our decks. 103 00:04:51,360 --> 00:04:53,550 In a normal year, 300 new chief selects 104 00:04:53,550 --> 00:04:55,020 from across the fleet would fly into 105 00:04:55,020 --> 00:04:58,150 Charlestown, Massachusetts, sleep on board her decks, 106 00:04:58,150 --> 00:05:01,510 immerse themselves in 19th century seamanship skills 107 00:05:01,510 --> 00:05:04,460 and training, gun drills, pike drills, climbing, 108 00:05:04,460 --> 00:05:06,960 learning to set sail on that ship 109 00:05:06,960 --> 00:05:09,230 and it's something we just weren't able to do. 110 00:05:09,230 --> 00:05:11,590 But again, this crew, particularly 111 00:05:11,590 --> 00:05:15,180 the Chief's Mess of USS Constitution, would not give up 112 00:05:15,180 --> 00:05:16,800 on the fact that we could still deliver 113 00:05:16,800 --> 00:05:19,060 this type of training, this type of experience, 114 00:05:19,060 --> 00:05:21,280 and be this type of inspirational command, 115 00:05:21,280 --> 00:05:22,540 to the rest of the fleet. 116 00:05:22,540 --> 00:05:25,780 We just have to do so in the virtual world. 117 00:05:25,780 --> 00:05:28,550 And of the past several months, the crew and I 118 00:05:28,550 --> 00:05:30,850 have been coming up with many different training videos, 119 00:05:30,850 --> 00:05:33,400 so that we can still deliver you this kind of an opportunity 120 00:05:33,400 --> 00:05:36,530 to see what a 19th century sailor would go through. 121 00:05:36,530 --> 00:05:39,350 And I believe we'd get a really spectacular passive package 122 00:05:39,350 --> 00:05:42,320 ready to roll out, right now in December, 2020, 123 00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:44,590 at the start of your CPO initiation season 124 00:05:44,590 --> 00:05:47,120 So, I'm really excited for what we've accomplished. 125 00:05:47,120 --> 00:05:48,530 I'm really happy that you're tuning in 126 00:05:48,530 --> 00:05:49,480 and using this as your message 127 00:05:49,480 --> 00:05:51,970 as part of your initiation training. 128 00:05:51,970 --> 00:05:56,900 It's been a great year in 2020, despite this COVID pandemic. 129 00:05:56,900 --> 00:05:58,740 And I like to tell each and every one of you, 130 00:05:58,740 --> 00:06:01,270 that we will be back in business in 2021, 131 00:06:01,270 --> 00:06:04,390 taking that ship out and I look forward to seeing you then. 132 00:06:04,390 --> 00:06:06,920 To all the new chief petty officers selects out there 133 00:06:06,920 --> 00:06:09,200 and all the chief petty officers across the Navy, 134 00:06:09,200 --> 00:06:10,033 I salute you. 135 00:06:11,210 --> 00:06:12,980 - Thank You Commander Bender. 136 00:06:12,980 --> 00:06:16,920 Let's make no mistake, we can never replicate the feelings 137 00:06:16,920 --> 00:06:21,010 of being on board this ship, live in it and work in it, 138 00:06:21,010 --> 00:06:24,980 how we do it in regular Heritage Weeks. 139 00:06:24,980 --> 00:06:28,180 But with this Heritage Weeks online, 140 00:06:28,180 --> 00:06:30,350 we are gonna be able to set the foundation 141 00:06:30,350 --> 00:06:33,690 for all of you out there and hopefully, one day 142 00:06:33,690 --> 00:06:37,360 in your long careers, you can come here, work here 143 00:06:37,360 --> 00:06:40,610 and feel what we feel when we step on board, 144 00:06:40,610 --> 00:06:42,390 this amazing ship. 145 00:06:42,390 --> 00:06:45,620 Shipmates, thank you very much for your time 146 00:06:45,620 --> 00:06:47,723 and please enjoy this video. 147 00:06:48,580 --> 00:06:50,520 Our shipmates here in the ship, 148 00:06:50,520 --> 00:06:53,570 young sailors produce videos for you, 149 00:06:53,570 --> 00:06:57,670 so you can educate yourselves, during this health pandemic. 150 00:06:57,670 --> 00:06:59,963 Thank you very much and enjoy the video.